Incurable Hearts

  “She wanted it.” Leigh laughed.

  He must have been so drunk he didn’t notice how angry Christopher was and it earned him his first punch. Natalie pulled me out of the bathroom and out of the way from the other guests. The last I saw of Leigh were Alex and Christopher kicking him while he was on the floor, he deserved everything they gave him but I didn’t want them getting into trouble.

  “Oh my god, are you okay Jasmine?” Natalie asked rubbing my arms, I was fine. I was only worried for Christopher and his brother, as they hadn’t come out yet.

  “I am okay. Thank you for getting help.”

  “It was CJ, he asked me to check on you as you had been gone a while, and lucky they were waiting outside. I always knew there was something extra creepy about Leigh,” She said shaking her head at her own thoughts of him.

  I couldn’t blame her. He was extra creepy with a side dish of creepiness. I can’t believe I ever liked him. I jumped up when I saw both brothers exit the bathroom and walk towards us,

  “We have got to go now.” Alex said to Natalie putting his jacket around her shoulders. He was so sweet. Christopher grabbed me and hugged me tightly; he kept his arm around me securely while ushering us outside.

  “What is going on?” I demanded.

  Christopher still hadn’t said anything to me; it was Alex, who answered me now,

  “A ambulance or the police will be called soon, probably both so we need to get out of here quickly.”

  “I told you not to get into trouble for me.” I shouted at Christopher breaking from his embrace.

  “He was about to…never mind. Get in the car Jasmine.” He shouted back at me. I felt like a child again being scolded for something that wasn’t my fault.

  While he was talking to his brother Natalie came over to me.

  “Don’t be too angry at him, he cares a lot for you, he doesn’t want to see you hurt.” She said hugging me.

  “Thank you Natalie, will you be okay getting home?” I asked.

  “Yeah my car is over there, don’t worry about us. Go and enjoy yourself with your man.”

  I smiled weakly at her, Alex came over and hugged me goodbye,

  “Don’t worry about that piece of scum,” He said before walking off with Natalie while Christopher was urging me into the car.

  I was about to speak to him when he put his finger on his lips shushing me, pointing that he didn’t want Henry to hear.

  “I can’t wait to get to the airport.” I murmured.

  He pulled me into the seat next to him and held me close. When he put his arm around my shoulders I saw he had blood on his hands with cuts underneath, I gasped. He had done this punching Leigh.

  “Don’t worry about it,” He snapped.

  “Pass me the first aid kit please Henry.”

  He passed it through to the back and I set about cleaning his hand, I finished by wrapping it up in a bandage.

  “Your good at that.” He said examining my handy work.

  “I had plenty of practice, my mother got drunk and fell over a lot.” I said handing the kit back to Henry.

  He nodded his understanding, probably remembering what I went through.

  We rode the rest of the way in silence with him never once letting me go.

  “We are here Miss Collins,” Henry said stopping the car.

  “Thank you, can you take our cases over for us please.”

  After Henry got out and we were on our own I turned to Christopher.

  “What?” He asked as if nothing had happened and I was just staring at him for the fun of it.

  “Don’t what me! I told you not to get into trouble for me and now your hand is covered in cuts and god knows what has happened to Leigh.” I said angrily.

  “Oh so now you care about Leigh?” He replied just as angry as me.

  “I couldn’t care less about him, I care about you and what you did tonight could have taken you away from me.” I said looking down at my hands.

  “I am sure you would have got me a top notch lawyer to get me off,” He whipped back, “What he was trying do to you was attempted rape Jas, when I saw your face and saw how shaken you were I couldn’t stop myself. He deserved what he got and I would do it again.” He said softer.

  “I don’t want you getting into trouble for me, or your brother for that fact.” I wanted to add that him getting into trouble for me would be for nothing as I couldn’t give him myself completely.

  “When are you going to realise I will do anything for you Jasmine, when I see you scared like that you don’t get to tell me not to protect you, I will not listen.” He said making me cry with his affection.

  “Okay. Thank you, I will kiss your hand better later as we have a flight to catch now.” I said smiling for the first time since the Leigh saga.

  “You’re welcome, forget about tonight, like it never happened. Your all I want to focus on.” He said before kissing me hard, eventually I broke the kiss before we really did miss the flight.

  Henry was talking to Captain Banks when he saw us; he turned to me and asked to speak with me in private, I told Christopher to wait on the plane for me.

  “I don’t like not being near you Miss Collins, he doesn’t know about your tumour. He wouldn’t know what to do if you have a…problem,” He said.

  “I will be fine Henry, if I have a problem I will trust him to get me to a hospital. I am going to relax not to party. I will be back on Sunday night, you know the times.” I reassured him before getting on the plane myself.

  I loved travelling on the jet; I had designed the interior myself. The walls were a crisp white with big black leather chairs running down one side and a matching black leather sofa running down the other side with hot pink accessories.

  There was a new flight attendant I hadn’t met before on tonight’s flight.

  “Miss Collins, Mr Jenson my name is Rebecca Mason and I am your flight attendant this evening. On behalf of Captain Banks and co-pilot Bradshaw we welcome you aboard. At this time, please make sure your seatbelts are correctly fastened and we advise you that of this moment any electronic equipment must be turned off. Thank you. We are due to arrive in St. Tropez at 11.58 pm.” She informed us before taking her seat.

  “I should have known you wouldn’t fly commercial,” He said smiling.

  “You should have known better.” I teased.

  “What did Henry want?” He asked.

  “Oh, he just wanted to make sure everything was okay.” I said taking my seat.

  “I am surprised he and Rose aren’t coming too, who will you have to cook our meals and drive us around?” He said laughing.

  “Philippe and Sue-Ellen.” I said stunning him into silence. That will teach him to take the piss out of me.

  “Of course you do.” He said laughing with me.

  Once the Captain had said we were free to move around I went and sat on Christopher’s lap.

  “How is your hand feeling?” I asked him kissing the place where the cuts were under the bandage.

  “It is sore, he had a hard face.” He grimaced at the memory.

  “It is a shame you have lost your friend.” I said quietly, I didn’t think he was a good friend but he had been friends’ with him for years.

  “No it’s not, I don’t need friends like that. I meant what I said Jas, I will do anything for you especially when you need my help like you did tonight.” He said kissing my forehead.

  “I need you more than you know.” I whispered into his chest. When I was with him it was too easy to forget about my reality. I must have fell asleep in his arms, as he was putting me back in my seat ready for the plane to land.

  Philippe was waiting by the car while the attendants were putting our cases in the boot.

  “So you have Bentley’s all over the world?” He joked as we got off the plane.

  “You make it sound like you expect any different.” I said giggling.

  “Bienvenue Miss Collins.” Philippe says.

  “Ce n
’est Christopher Jenson, Christopher this is Philippe.” I introduced them, after they shook hands Philippe turned his attention back to me,

  “La villa est prete et Sue-Ellen a prepare votre repas” he said opening the door.

  “Merci beaucoup” I replied.

  “You never seize to amaze me.” Christopher said to me when he heard me speaking in French.

  “I don’t speak fluently, just enough to survive, Sue-Ellen speaks English so I normally confer with her.”

  Part Two…Christopher.

  Shopping with Jas was a nightmare. She wanted to buy me a new wardrobe for our trip tonight to the South of France. I refused her at every opportunity although I did see her buy a pair of Rayburn shades; there was no stopping her. She was mainly looking to buy a dress for Alex’s football presentation, she had hundreds of dresses at home but she said she wanted to fit in and traipsed me round what she called normal shops. After we finished shopping we had to go to mine so I could pack a case and grab my passport. I should have remembered Henry would have known where I lived, I quickly got out of the car, I was only gone for five minutes. When I locked the front door on my way out the first thing I saw was Henry hovering around Jas, I ran over to her, she had been sick and she was shaking.

  “Jas, what is wrong?” I asked stepping around the sick. I looked to Henry for answers but like last time he was keeping his mouth shut.

  “Nothing is wrong, it must have been something I ate at lunch,” She said, I knew she was lying,

  “Jas, I am not stupid, you were fine when I left.” I said as Henry took my bag and I got into the car.

  “I told you I would take my chances, so I will stay.” I said rubbing her back soothingly.

  Alex was waiting for us outside with Natalie, I wasn’t sure if Jas was going to get on with her, she hadn’t mentioned that she had any girl friends.

  “You made it,” He said shaking my hand and kissing Jas on her cheek, “This is Natalie, my girlfriend, Nat this is Jasmine, CJ’s girlfriend.”

  I liked hearing her be called my girlfriend she didn’t correct him either.

  “How many cars do you own?” Alex asked eyeing up the Bentley.

  “You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you little bro.” I joked.

  I had played golf at this club many times but it looked completely different tonight with the tables pushed to the side to make way for a dance floor.

  We got our drinks and sat at a table next to our friends.

  “Hey man, where have you been?” Zach asked.

  “Jase tell us you have been busy.” Jason said.

  “Yeah, we can see why,” Leigh said cockily looking at Jas, “Hey Jasmine, how are you?” he asked her.

  I froze hearing him talk to her, I hated the fact he thought he had a right to look at her let alone speak to her.

  “She is fine.” I answered for her; I didn’t want her talking to him.

  “Hey, don’t let him get to you.” Jas said making me look at her.

  “Sure.” I said taking a sip of my pint to save me saying something else.

  My eyes kept darting to Leigh and every time I did he was looking at Jas, I was doing my best not to let Jas know how much I was refraining myself from knocking him out right here right now. She was adamant she didn’t want me getting into trouble for her but if he carried on I wasn’t sure if I would have the strength to listen to her.

  Jasmine was relaxed talking away with Natalie, they seemed to be getting along really well, once the presentation was over Alex and Nat disappeared of onto the dance floor. I was grateful when Jas didn’t want to dance, it was one thing dancing in a crowded club but dancing here did not appeal to me what so ever.

  “We will have to leave soon,” She said in my ear.

  “Okay, I will go and find Alex and Nat. are you going to be okay here?” I asked looking over at Leigh still sitting at the table next to ours.

  “I will be fine. I am going to go to the bathroom,” She said kissing me.

  I could tell she was tired; this secret she was keeping was beginning to worry me.

  I tracked Alex and Nat down on the other side of the dance floor,

  “Little bro, we are going to head off.”

  “Won’t you stay a little longer?” Nat asked.

  “We can’t, our flight leaves soon.” I told her, I liked she wanted to spend more time with Jas.

  “Okay, we will come and say goodbye to Jasmine.” She smiled.

  We waited at the table, she should have been back by now. After what happened in the car earlier and the fact I couldn’t see where Leigh was I asked Nat to check on her. Alex and I waited outside the bathroom.

  “OH MY GOD! Alex, CJ get in here now!” Nat screamed at us, we both looked at each other then scrambled to get through the door. Jas was standing frightened by the wall shaking; her dress strap was broken and hanging down. As soon as I saw Leigh leaning against the other wall I had no problem in guessing what had happened. The fury poured out of me and before I knew it I had him pinned against the wall.

  “What the fuck do you think you are doing?” I shouted at him.

  “She wanted it,” He laughed, that was it. I hit him square on the jaw, he wasn’t laughing now.

  Alex pulled me back slightly, I couldn’t believe he was going to let him get away with this, Leigh fell to the floor and than I knew why he had done it. He was going to help me. I didn’t care about keeping my promise to Jas, he had overstepped the line, mental pictures of her standing there shaking tonight and pictures of him holding her to the ground when she was sixteen years old flashed through my head.

  “You sick fuck.” I shouted repeatedly kicking him in the stomach, Alex began punching him in the face, there blood was sputtering from his moving mouth, I knelt beside him so I could hear what he had to say.

  “It was always you she wanted, you could have saved the prick teasing bitch.” He said. I didn’t need him telling me what I already knew. I pushed Alex away so I could have a clean shot of his face; I pulled him up so he was half sitting up.

  “You don’t get to talk to us no more, you need help starting with stitches to your face.” I managed to punch him in the face three more times before Alex wrapped his arms around me pulling me out of the bathroom.

  “We have to get out of here,” He whispered.

  I had been so consumed with hatred I hadn’t seen Jas and Nat leave, as soon as we left the bathroom I saw her jump up and walk towards us.

  “What is going on?” She asked me I was too angry to answer, Alex stepped in.

  “An ambulance or the police will be called soon, probably both, so we need to get out of here quickly.”

  “I told you not to get into trouble for me,” She shouted at me, what the fuck was I supposed to do? Leave him? Thank him?

  “He was about to…never mind. Get in the car Jasmine.” I shouted back at her, we were at the car now and I had Henry looking at me sternly wanting to know what was going on. I turned my back on her so I could get our story straight with Alex,

  “Are you going to be okay here?” I asked him.

  “He won’t say anything, I will be fine,” He said flexing his hand, no doubt Nat or my mother will clean it up for him.

  “If the police do come looking, we left early because of our flight and you took Nat home because she was unwell.” I said.

  “No problem, go and enjoy yourself,” He said.

  Once Alex and Nat were heading to their car I got in next to Jas. It was written all over her face she wanted answers but the last thing I needed was for Henry to hear, I put my finger on lips and pointed to the back of Henry head showing I didn’t want an audience.

  “Can’t wait to get to the airport?” She murmured.

  I pulled her into the seat next to me and held her close. I was so glad to have her safe in my arms. I heard her gasp when she saw my hand,

  “Don’t worry about it.” I snapped.

  “Pass the first aid kit please Henry.”

>   He passed it through and she began cleaning my hand, at the end she wrapped a bandage around it.

  “Your good at that.” I said looking over her work.

  “I had good practice, my mum got drunk and fell over a lot,” She said handing the kit back to Henry.

  I nodded my head, I remember what her mother was and still is like.

  We rode the rest of the way in silence.

  “We are here Miss Collins.” Henry said stopping the car.

  I was expecting to have to walk through an actual airport but in Jas’s world we arrive by the plane and travel on our own. One day I might not expect any less.

  “Thank you, can you take our cases over for us please,” She instructed, after Henry got out and we were on our own she turned to me.

  “What?”

  “Don’t what me! I told you not to get into trouble for me and now your hand is covered in cuts and god knows what has happened to Leigh.” She said fuming, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

  “Oh so you care what has happened to Leigh?” I spat just as angry as her.

  “I couldn’t care less about him, I care about you and what you did could have took you away from me,” She said looking down at her hands.

  “I am sure you would have got me a top notch lawyer to get me off.” I whipped back. “What he was trying to do was attempted rape Jas, when I saw your face and how shaken you were I couldn’t stop myself, he deserved what he got and I would do it again.” I said more softer it wasn't her fault he was a piece of shit.

  “I just don’t want you getting into trouble for me or your brother for that fact.”

  “When are you going to realise I will do anything for you Jasmine, when I see you scared like that you don’t get to tell me not to protect you, I will not listen.” I said holding both my hands on her face.

  “Okay, thank you. I will kiss your hand better later, we have a flight to catch now,” She said smiling at me.

  “Your welcome, forget about what happened tonight like it never happened. You are all I want to focus on.” I said kissing her desperately, it was a good job she broke the kiss because we would have missed the flight if it were down to me.